The Honduran government has dispatched 1,000 troops to the disputed Aguán River Valley region after clashes between peasants and powerful landowners left 11 people dead earlier this week. The killings are the latest in the dispute between peasants demanding recognition of their land rights and palm oil plantation owners who have hired private security forces to carry out targeted attacks. At least 34 impoverished farm workers have died in the last two years, although human rights organizations fear the actual toll is far higher.